A Transdiffusion Presentation

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Paul Mason wrote16 October 2017 at 7:35 pm

One myth about Radio 4 centres around the Shipping Forecast.

The SF was on the LIGHT programme and eventually Radio 2 when on 198 Long Wave. The great frequency swop of 1978 which did away with regional/national opt outs of BBC Radio 4 in favour of BbC Radios Scotland/Wales/Cymru/Ulster and heralded Radio 4 UK. Fritz Spiegel, whose home I used to go past regularly composed the early morning UK theme which was abolished under protest some years ago The Shipping Forecast moved to Radio 4 LW and from 0030 hrs to 0048 preceded by the Ronald Bynge composition “Sailing By”. Even though composed in the 1950s it was not used on BBC Radio 4 until 1978. And no earlier!

Sebastian Taylor wrote9 November 2017 at 2:27 am

“The great frequency swop of 1978 which did away with regional/national opt outs of BBC Radio 4 in favour of BbC Radios Scotland/Wales/Cymru/Ulster and heralded Radio 4 UK.”

Even after this change in 1978, there were still short regional (or from Holme Moss, a dual-region North plus North West) news bulletins on VHF, three (?) times each weekday (one was just before the 13:00h “The One O’clock News” broadcast). And East Anglia also had a full morning regional news program on VHF — Roundabout East Anglia — because no local radio was yet available in the region.

Perhaps somebody could confirm the date that these 3 minute regional news bulletins finally ended? Perhaps when the 30 minute programs always billed in the Radio Times as starting at 12:27h (to allow for the 3 minute regional news at 12:57) moved to 12:30h?

They tapered off, with different regions dying away at different times. That last regional opt-out was South West, which ended upon the opening of BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall in January 1983.